Intellectual Property Rights Policy

FlatWorld provides an online educational platform. We contractually prohibit those using our service from infringing the intellectual property rights of third parties (including without limitation copyrights, trademark rights, and related rights). If you believe that a user of the FlatWorld service has infringed your intellectual property rights, we encourage you to contact us using the procedure outlined below..

It is FlatWorld's policy to (1) block access to or remove any content (including, without limitation, text, graphics, and photos) (collectively, "Content") that it believes in good faith to infringe the intellectual property rights of third parties following receipt of a compliant notice; and (2) remove and discontinue service to repeat infringers.

A. PROCEDURE FOR REPORTING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INFRINGEMENT:

If you believe that Content residing on or accessible through the FlatWorld service constitutes copyright infringement, or that your intellectual property rights have been otherwise violated, please send a notice of infringement containing the following information to the Designated Agent listed below:

1. Identification of the copyrighted work or other intellectual property that you claim has been infringed on or through the FlatWorld service, including the registration number(s) for any such material, if applicable;
2. Identification of the Content that you claim has infringed the identified copyrighted work or other intellectual property, including (a) a description of how the material in question is using the copyrighted work or other intellectual property in a way that constitutes infringement, and (b) a description of where the material in question is located on or in the FlatWorld service, with sufficient detail that we may verify the existence of the material within the service (i.e., a URL);
3. Your contact information, including your full name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address;
4. A statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the disputed use of the copyrighted work or other intellectual property is not authorized by the copyright holder, its agents, or the law;
5. A statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the information provided in your notice is accurate and that you are the rights holder or are authorized to act on behalf of the rights holder; and
6. An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the rights holder.

Please note that a full and complete copy of this notice will be provided to the party against whom the infringing complaint is lodged, so that they may discuss the matter with the notice-filer directly.

B. ONCE PROPER BONA FIDE INFRINGEMENT NOTIFICATION IS RECEIVED BY THE DESIGNATED AGENT:

It is FlatWorld's policy:

1. to remove or disable access to the allegedly-infringing Content;
2. to notify the party whose Content has been removed or disabled; and
3. that repeat offenders will have the allegedly-infringing Content removed from the service and that FlatWorld will terminate such party's access to the service.

C. PROCEDURE TO SUPPLY A COUNTER-NOTICE TO THE DESIGNATED AGENT:

If the notified-user believes that the Content that was removed or to which access was disabled is either not infringing, or the user believes that he or she has the right to post and use such Content from the rights owner, the owner's agent, or pursuant to the law (including as a fair use), the notified-user must send a counter-notice containing the following information to the Designated Agent listed below:

1. Identification of the Content that has been removed or disabled, including a description of where the material in question appeared on the FlatWorld service before it was removed or disabled (i.e., a URL);
2. A statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that you have a good faith belief that the Content was removed or blocked as a result of a mistake or misidentification of the Content in question;
3. Your contact information, including full name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address;
4. A statement by you that you consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal Court for the judicial district in which your address is located or, if your address is outside of the USA, for the judicial district in which FlatWorld is located, and that you will accept service of process from the person who provided notification of alleged infringement; and
5. Your electronic or physical signature.

If a counter-notice is received by the Designated Agent, we will send a full and complete copy of the counter-notice to the original complaining party, along with a notice informing them that we may replace the removed Content or cease disabling it in 10 business days. Unless the rights owner files an action seeking a court order against the user, the removed Content may be replaced, or access to it restored, in 10 to 14 business days or more after receipt of the counter-notice, at our sole discretion.

Please note that under Section 512(f) of the DMCA, any person who knowingly misrepresents that Content or activity infringes a copyright may be subject to liability for damages, including attorney's fees.

Please contact FlatWorld’s Designated Agent to Receive Notification of Claimed Infringement by email at copyright@flatworld.com or by mail using the following address:

Benjamin A. Costa
Ridder, Costa & Johnstone LLP
12 Geary Street, Suite 701
San Francisco, CA 94108

Please note that notices received via email will be handled most promptly.